All of this is impressive and intriguing but the best stat for me ... ... is that only the league leaders/winners have lost fewer games.
I honestly was dreading the season starting. After the unbelievable playoffs, then the hype of preseason, the signings, the upgrades to the stadium and around the area. The new kits and all the excitement around merchandise etc. Everything was so upbeat that I was expecting a bit of a letdown when the season really started……but wow. Watching the first game of the season we just looked like we belonged. We really are a very decent premier league team.
My thoughts on the first 10 games? Never in my wildest dreams did I think we'll be sitting this high up in the table. Before the playoff final I said that I wanted to win it but I didn't want to go up because due to previous seasons I watched my team getting humped in each game - that has totally changed in this iteration! The players we've brought in and how they've knitted together as quickly and as well as they have has took everyone by surprise. We've played some great football at times but what's impressed me the most is that we don't look out of place in this league and that we don't give up in games. We've come from behind in more than 1 game this season against seriously decent teams. The only thing that can stop this team is the team itself
I walked out of Wembley thinking 'That was great but this is where all the fun stops' ... ... I doubt I've ever been more wrong.
There's only Sadiki and Reinaldo who are nailed on starters at the minute anyway. I’d hazard a guess the majority of PL clubs are losing a few players. I’m sure we can manage with 3 from Xhaka, Geertruida, ELF and Rigg for a few matches in the midfield
Whatever happens I'm certain the club had plans in place before these players even signed ... ... they haven't just thought 'Oops, we'll only have half a team when this competition is on'. I think this is partly why players like Mundle, Mayenda, Diarra, etc aren't being rushed back or overused.
Aye, it made me laugh when everyone was saying we’re only going to have 6 players come AFCON.. as if the club didn’t know what they were doing and all of these armchair experts had spotted the obvious flaw in our plan
It's all good fun and everyone does it. But it's like how certain players are written off, after a game or two, then suddenly deemed to have 'grown on the supporters'. Traoré is just settling in, gelling with the squad and working things out but some would just sack him off now along with Hume, Adingra, etc. Having said that I really do think people are beginning to trust the club/manager/ coaches.
I was talking about fans of other clubs mate! Everyone had their expert opinion of us and own owner buying all of these players not realising they had AFCON.. And so they should trust the club, anyone who had doubts can doubt no longer. Been a few hiccups on the way but 90% has been brilliant and we are very lucky to have KLD as an owner.
Its been magnificent, not just being 4th in the most competitive league in the world, but seeing how all of our summer transfers have gelled together both on and off the pitch. Everyone involved with the club are doing a fantastic job.
What a game, love this club. My son is over the moon to be following the lads - seeing us rise back up from Division 1. Roll on Saturday. Hhhaaa'wwwwaaaaayyyyyy thelads
For me, I'm trying not to get too carried away right now, because life (and football) have a tendency to bite you on the arse when you least expect it. But it's been superb, beyond my wildest dreams. After the play offs I expected us to be in a relegation battle this season, which we still could be, but hoped we'd have enough about us to give us a chance to stay up. If you'd said at the start of the season we'd be outside the bottom 4 after 10 games I'd have taken it happily, because it showed we were being competitive. My biggest fear after Wembley was that we'd be in the position Wolves are now, struggling and looking certs for relegation. One of the blokes at work (a lads fan) predicted that we'd be getting hammered regularly and that Le Bris would be sacked by Christmas. To be sitting now in 4th after 10 games with probably double or more the number of points I'd have hoped/expected to have at this stage is mind blowing. We are probably halfway to safety with a quarter of the season gone. It's unlikely that we'll stay where we are, there's too many teams with more quality and strength in depth than we have chasing us, but we're competitive with them and have not looked out of place or outclassed at all. We look like we belong here and deserve, right now, to be where we are. So long as we can maintain this it gives us a great chance to stay up and a real platform to build and kick on. And that in the end is all we really want.
I'm enjoying the feeling that we start a game in the top division thinking we have a chance and we will have a go ....
Performances and results way beyond expectations only downside is refereeing, including VAR, even worse than previous lower league seasons
Am loving it, every game with a bit of jeopardy and teams bringing a good following. Think we’ve looked good snd look like we belong 100 percent. Definetly think there are three teams worse than us after what we’ve seen. Can’t wait to see what they’ve got planned for Jan, just hope we can get through afcon relatively unscathed
